I love to go into churches between services when the lights are turned down low and the only sound is the trickle of the water in the baptismal font. When I visit San Francisco every year for a yoga conference, I head to the waterfront on foot from my hotel to get Ghirardelli chocolate. I always stop at a Catholic church at the halfway point to say a prayer and light a candle. It's such a peaceful time and spiritually renewing. At home, I discovered that between 1:00 and 2:00 on Sunday afternoons was the perfect time between masses at my church and the choir practice (which I enjoy when they are practicing early).
On this particular rainy Sunday I decided to stop by our church between services to review the reading and enjoy my quiet reflection time. When I arrived I noticed quite a few cars in the parking lot. Oh no! What was going on? Would my special visit be interrupted? Today it turned out to be some kind of tour. A gentleman was leading a group around the church explaining the mural, stained glass windows and telling stories about rosaries and prayer cards buried in the foundation. It was fascinating. It made the church even that more special to know some of its history - though it wasn't really that old - probably less than ten years. The tour finished less than thirty minutes after I arrived as I was soon left to the trickling fountain and flickering candles in the dim light of the afternoon.
But missing half the tour left me wanting to know more. And knowing the half of the story I was privy to hear left me excited, intrigued and wanting to share my new found knowledge with my church going friends who might never have heard the story.
So many times we fill in the blanks about people and situations and never delve into the real story behind the facade. What a treasure we are missing and what a risk it is to not find out what it really is. I invite you to share your story and delve beneath the facade in your relationships and in situations. You never know what treasures you will discover.